Friday, June 3, 2011

Another goddamn deadline

It's that time again.

Now that I've finished the first draft of Pendomus, I feel the need to reestablish a deadline.

What can I say, I'm a glutton for punishment. HA!

I'm in the process of adjusting, editing POVs, fixing typos, etc. I have a super - fantabulous critique group (CRITS RULE) and a few super - fantabulous friends who have agreed to critique it at as well. I'm so blessed to be surrounded with the amazing people I am. Every single person reading this thing brings their own unique perspective and strengths. It's fabulous! I want to let all of you know how much I appreciate your efforts and time. You mean the world to me.
(And by world, I mean both this one AND Pendomus!)

While I don't want to rush this process, I also don't want to sit in it forever. At a certain point, enough will be enough and I have to let it go. I could critique this sucker forever and... well, I don't want to!

So, without further ado, I give to you my latest Goddamn Deadline:

~September 3rd, 2011~

That gives me three months to the day to get my proverbial editorial crap together. Or in scooper? Maybe it's a heap? Eh, something like that.

By that day, ideally, I want to be sending out the first of my query letters to prospective agents.

So what do you guys think? Realistic? Unrealistic? Crazy?

Sooper cool?

(Side note: the editor that's arisen in me thinks I should fix that... the artist in me says it's funny and leave it. How do I reconcile this?! HA!)

Hit me up! Tell me your thoughts. Is three months enough time for this insane, double-ended candle burner to get this sucker in tip-top shape?

I know it's good to have deadlines, but personally, I think you should see how it goes. Set a goal of September 3, but don't be surprised if you can't meet it. I can't stress enough how important it is to get your stuff AS GOOD AS IT CAN POSSIBLY BE before submitting to agents/editors. These people aren't interested in something that's close but not quite there. They need stuff that's nearly ready for publication as is, maybe with a few minor tweaks. It's taken me 3 years, and my first book still isn't good enough for them. Not saying my stuff will ever be good enough, but just showing you how perfect they expect it to be. And that's just to get an agent. Editors are twice as hard.

If it takes you five years to get it right, take five years. Don't let your impatience to get it out there trip you into sending it out before it's ready. Once your book has been rejected by an agent, they don't give you a second chance.

@Kendall~ Thanks for the advice, woman. This is really more of a goal of mine, than a *deadline* per se. But I need to give myself something to work toward. If something comes up where I need to take more time, I'm not opposed to it. It'll take however long it takes. But for now, I need to give myself a goal. A deadline to push that momentum. We'll see what happens. :D

I think you're on the right track. If you don't give yourself a goal, the project will remain stagnant and will not go anywhere. Moving forward is the key. If you're not moving forward--then you're moving backward!

I think Sooper Cool is catchy. :) I also think you can totally make this deadline. I wish I was as brave to put a deadline on my doomed efforts. (Don't worry I'm really not as fatalistic as this. :P) So good luck with it, Carissa! I like your writing style, btw. You can't buy that! :)